Seating and Mobility Evaluation

Seating and Mobility

According to the 2000 Census, an estimated 2.2 million Americans rely on wheelchairs to compensate for mobility impairments, and more than half are adults ages 65 and over. Older adults have a 43 percent probability of spending some time in a nursing home. Of those who do enter nursing homes, 55 percent can expect to spend a total of at least one year there, and 21 percent can expect to spend a total of at least five years. Research indicates that when wheelchairs and seating systems do not fit the individual needs of nursing homes residents, many problems can become evident such as:

• Pressure ulcers
• Difficulty in propulsion
• Discomfort
• Dysphagia
• Falls
• Decreased quality of life.

Source: AHRQ Advances in Patient Safety Volume 4 (Development of a Screening Tool for Safe Wheelchair Seating )

These problems are also seen in community dwelling wheelchair users.

FYZICAL – Indianapolis provides seating and mobility evaluations for complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) as a subset of AT (Assistive Technology) including but not limited to:

• Individually configured manual wheelchair systems
• Power wheelchair systems
• Adaptive seating systems
• Alternative positioning systems
• Other mobility devices.

As a key member in the CRT inter-professional service delivery team, we are responsible for the following:

• Performing the physical and functional examination, evaluation, and diagnosis of patient/client and environmental factors related to CRT;
• Developing the CRT prognosis and plan of care and assisting with the CRT specifications including identifying therapeutic goals and expected outcomes related to the CRT intervention and training; assisting with CRT trials simulations and identifying the person-to-technology feature match; and preparing clinical justification and medical documentation
• Participating in implementing the CRT intervention including assisting with the CRT fitting and providing function-related training in use of CRT
• Determining CRT outcomes and follow up

Physical therapist-recommended CRT devices are critical to patients/clients with disabilities to address and prevent body structure and functional limitations to maintain or increase their activity and participation in society;

The American Physical Therapy Association supports the provision of assistive technology appropriately suited to the patient’s/client’s needs including but not limited to complex rehabilitation technology for people with disabilities.

FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Centers- Indianapolis does not have any financial affiliations with any DME (Durable Medical Equipment) supplier or provider.